French Climber Sends Smith Rock Project

Pierre Bollinger on his new route Shoot'm Up (5.14b or 8c), Smith Rock State Park, Oregon. Photos by Florent Wolff

In early November French climber Pierre Bollinger made the first ascent of an old project at the world famous, standard setting welded tuff of Oregon's Smith Rock State Park.

Bollinger's new route is located on the slightly overhanging Aggro Wall and is said to be a 10-year-old open project that is nestled between Aggro Monkey (5.13a/b) and Badman (5.14a). Bollinger named the route Shoot'm Up and has proposed a grade of 5.14b (8c).

In a interview at escalade-alsace.com Bollinger comment that, "The path is first broken into two sections with about a dozen moves. The first part is the hardest because you must be able to take three consecutive monos on your right hand. The second part is much more physical but on better holds eventually delivering you at a very good rest. From there you converge with Aggro Monkey and the remaining section is about 5.13a."

The photographer Florent Wolff, who captured Bolliger on the route said in an email that, "It's funny that many years after Jean Baptiste "Jibé" Tribout, who succeed inTo Bolt or Not to Be and Just Do It, a French climber can still make a first ascent at Smith Rock."

In November of 1986 To Bolt or Not to Be became the US's first 5.14 (8b+) when the Frenchman redpointed the long vertical face climb at a time when fully-bolted "sport climbs" were still considered somewhat controversial. Then six years later, Tribout returned again and made the first ascent of Just Do It (5.14c) in 1992, which once again became the US's hardest sport climb.